Find out how popular the last name Bolds is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bolds.

Bolds, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bolds surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bolds in America

Bolds is the 15074th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bolds surname appeared 1,957 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bolds.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bolds to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bolds

The surname Bolds has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bold," which means "brave" or "daring." This suggests that the name may have been originally given as a nickname to someone who exhibited these qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where it is listed as "Bolde." This document was a survey of landholders in England, providing valuable insights into the names and locations of people during that time period.

During the Middle Ages, the name Bolds was predominantly found in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. It is possible that the name originated from a place name, as there are several villages and hamlets in these regions with similar-sounding names, such as Bold and Boulde.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where it was spelled as "Bolds." This tax record was a valuable source of information about the population and their occupations at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Bolds was John Bolds, a merchant and alderman from the city of York who lived in the late 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the city's Guild of Merchants and served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1478.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Bolds, a scholar and clergyman who lived in the 16th century. He was born in Lincolnshire around 1520 and went on to become a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and later served as the rector of several parishes in the region.

In the 17th century, the Bolds surname was found in various parish records across England, including baptisms, marriages, and burials. One notable entry is the baptism of Thomas Bolds in the parish of Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, in 1635.

During the 18th century, the Bolds name appeared in several military records, such as the muster rolls of the British Army. One example is Samuel Bolds, who served as a lieutenant in the 34th Regiment of Foot during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

Another prominent individual with the surname Bolds was Sir Edward Bolds, a wealthy landowner and politician who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a member of the British Parliament, representing the borough of Southwark from 1796 to 1806.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bolds

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bolds.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bolds was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bolds has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bolds was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bolds, please contact us.

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